Hopper car



F. W. HAHN HOPPER CAR Feb. 16, 1932.

Filed March 10, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 16, 1932. F. w. HAHN 1,845,658

HQPPER CAR Filed March 10 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FERDINAND W. HAHN, OF MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY HOPPER GAR Application filed March 10, 1980. Serial No. 434,509.

The invention relates to freight cars, and in particular to that class of cars known as convertible freight cars.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a freight car so constructed that it may be readily converted from a hopper bottom or ballast type of car to a flat bottom or gondola type.

A further object is to provide a car of the above type with an improved construction for uniting the hopper structure to the under frame of the car which will simplify the work of assembly, in addition to substituting a more durable structure than has heretofore been employed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a car of the above type with a single casting forming the hopper end wall which will replace the present fabricated structure 7 of steel and wooden parts.

A yet further object is to provide a novel type of combined body bolster and draft Slll casting which will provide means for uniting the hopper end wall to the car structure.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a workable and practical structure of the above type comprising to a high degree lightness and strength with reasonable first costand minimum maintenance.

WVith these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the device and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts* Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of the under frame and hopper structure of a ballast car constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the ballast car showing the features of construction for converting the same to a flat bottom type; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the sheet member forming the hop per end wall.

The ballast car as disclosed in Figure 2 consists of vertical side walls formed of planks 1O resting on the side sills 12 and conlined in place by upper or top rails 14 and vertical stakes 15. End sills 16 are joined to the side sills by angle members 18 to form the end structure of the car, and are adapted to support end planks 19 which are reinforced at the corners and joined to the side planks by vertical post members 20. Extendin longitudinally of the car between the en sills 16 are a plurality of spread center sills 22-22 consisting of a built up structure of plates and angles, spaced from each other as shown and joined at intermediate points to tranverse channels or cross bearers 24.

The combined body bolster and draft sill casting designated in its entirety by 26 comprises a top plate 28 and a lower plate 30 connected by transverse and longitudinal vertical webs 82 and 34 respectively. The side walls of the bolster portion are provided with suitable supporting brackets for accommodating the channel members 22 comprising the center sills which are secured thereto by any suitable means, thus uniting the bolster proper and the center sills in a rigid structure. Projecting forwardly is an integral extension of the bolster for the draft sill casting formed of top and bottom flanges 36 and 37 united by web walls 38 for forming the draft sills 40, which sills provide means for retaining the usual draft gear in place. On the forward end of the draft sill casting is located the striking plate 42. The bolster proper is adapted to serve as a securing means for the hopper end wall, and for this purpose is provided with a suitable portion 44 extending the width of the bolster and having formed thereon the post pocket 45 and pads 46, the latter serving as supports for floor parts.

A feature of the present invention resides in the single casting 48 which forms the end wall for the hopper structure of the car. This casting is shaped so as to be securely riveted or otherwise joined at its forward end to the strip 14 formed on the bolster as previously described, and along its sides 50 to the spread center sills 22. The casting is therefore firmly united to the under frame of the car between the center sills thereof, and provides a suitable wall on both ends for joining the supporting means for supporting the remainder of the hopper structure.

This structure takes the form of brackets 52 and 54 provided on each of the end members 48 wherein bracket 52 forms a support for an angle beam and bracket 54 a support for a wooden beam 56. The angle beam 55 has joined thereto a wooden beam 57 which, together with the beam 56, extend the.

length of the hopper structure, that is, are substantially continuous between the end walls 48, and serve as nailing strips for the planks 58 which form one side wall of the ballast compartment. The portion of the end members opposite tothe brackets has formed thereon a recess 60 for receiving a plate 62 which is also continuous between end sheets and provides an apron for pivotally securing the door 64 thereto.

It is'of course understood that the underframe of the car is so constructed that the center sills 22 are connected at intermediate points by the cross bearers 24, and as a result the beam 56 and apron 62 which extend the length of the hopper and parallel with the center sills are thus intercepted by these cross bearers. To provide securing means for the beam and apron at these points the cross bearers 24 are provided with brackets on both sides thereof so that the longitudinally extending members abut the cross bearers on one side and are continued again on the other side. As a means for reinforcing the car structure diagonal braces 65 are located at intervals joining the cross bearers to the vertical side walls.

The floor structure of the car and the mechanism for converting the car from the ballast type to the flat bottom or gondola type consists of convertible floor sections of plank 66 bolted together on angle beams 68 which are pivotally secured to the underframe to hinge at 70. When the floor sections are thrown upwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, they are adapted to rest upon suitable bracket supports 7 2 which are provided at spaced intervals along the vertical side walls as shown. Extensions 74 are pivotally secured at 7 6 to the angle beams 68 so as to form a continuous structure extending from the vertical side walls to the beginning of the hopper construction proper, in which case the car is adapted to function as a ballast or hopper type of car. When the convertible floor sections are swung back to the horizontal position to form a flat bottom, the extensions are folded under by reason of their pivotal connection and rest upon the cross bearers 24 provided at intermediate points throughout the length of the car as described. In addition, the end walls 48 .are recessed at 78, F igure 3, to provide a pocket for accommodating these folded extensions.

The particular car structure disclosed also contemplates laterally discharging doors in addition to the central hopper compartment, which consists of-planks 80 suitably secured to hinging-portions 82, which portions are pivoted to the center sills as shown. It is, of course, understood that the dumping doors 80 are rendered inoperative when the con vertible doors 66 are in their upper position, in which case the car comprises the ballast type, and dumping of the contents is effected through the central hopper structure.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited bythe exact embodiment oflthe .device shown, which ismerely by way ofill ustration and not limitation, .as various and other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those. skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims. I

I claim:

1. Ina convertible railway car, the-combination with bolsters of continuouscenter sills extending from end to end of the car, a longitudinally disposed V-shaped hopper locatedbetween said center sills, and a single casting at each end of the hopper forming the end walls thereof, said castings being secured to said bolsters and center sills.

2. In a convertible railway car in combination with center sills extending from end to end of the car, bolsters secured to said sills at each end thereof, a longitudinally extending V-shaped hopper located between said sills, and a single casting forming each end wall of said hopper, said casting being secured at its forward portion to the bolster and at its sides to the center sills. 3. In a convertible railway car in combination-with center sills-extending from end to end of the car, bolsters secured to said sills at each-end' thereof, a casting secured to each bolster and adapted to form an end wall for a hopper, brackets provided on each casting, longitudinally extending beams secured to said brackets, and hopper wall members adapted to be secured to said beams.

4. In a convertible railway car in combination withcenter sills extending from end to end of the car, bolsters secured to said sills at each end thereof, said bolsters having formed thereon a securing portion, -a longitudinally extending V-shaped hopper located between said sills and terminating at said'bolsters, and asingle casting joined to said securing portion ofeach bolster and formingthe end'walls of'the hopper.

5. In a convertible railway car in combination with center sills extendingfrom end to end of the car, bolsters secured to said sills at each end thereof, said bolsters-having formed thereon a securing portion, an

end sheet joined along its end portion to the.

securing portion of each bolster and along its sides to said center sills, brackets provided on said end sheets, longitudinal beams secured to said brackets, and members se cured to said beams and forming the walls of a hopper.

6. In a convertible railway car in combination with center sills extending from end to end of the car, a combined body bolster and draft sill casting secured to said sills at each end thereof, said castings being pro vided with a forwardly extending draft sill portion and a rear bolster portion, a longitudinally extending hopper located between said center sills, the end walls of said hopper being joined to said bolster portion of the casting.

7. I11 a structure of the character de scribed, in combination with spaced center sills, bolsters secured to said sills at each end thereof, a hopper disposed between said sills and terminating at said bolsters, said bolster having a securin portion for joining the end walls of the opper thereto, and pads on said portion forming a support for floor boards.

8. In a convertible railway car, the combination with bolsters of continuous center sills extending from end to end of the car, a longitudinally disposed hopper located be tween said center sills, said hopper terminating at its end portion in a single casting forming the end wall.

9. In a convertible railway car, the combination with bolsters of continuous center sills extending from end to end of the car, a longitudinally disposed hopper located be tween said center sills, and a sheet member forming each end wall of said hopper, each member being secured to the bolster and to said center sills respectively.

10. In a convertible railway car in combination with center sills extending from end to end of the car, a combined body bolster and draft sill casting secured to said sills at each end thereof, said castings being provided with a forwardly extending draft sill portion and a rear bolster portion, said bolster portion having formed thereon a securing strip, a longitudinally extending hopper located between said center sills, and a casting forming the end walls of said hopper and being secured to said strip and to said center sills.

Signed at Michigan City, Indiana, this 4th day of March, 1930.

F. W. HAHN. 

